AA good news for a change

[Hopeful]

And eventually the future employees will outnumber the nAAtives and everyone will be working under a new cost structure. Its a round world and what goes around goes around 😉

Not if OH has a separate agreement from line stations.

 

[Duke787]

Not if OH has a separate agreement from line stations.

That will be best for line mechs.

 

[Duke787]

I'll give you a hint of what is going on. AA wants TULE to become an MRO at MRO costs. They have BIG plans for that place that involve partnering with a certain airplane manufacturer to do warranty work on a certain new yet to fly jetliner.
TULE is already enacting changes at that base to transition it into just that. They cannot wait any longer for a new contract.
Whatever one may think of "unreasonable" or "reasonable," TULE will become an MRO. The people are already put in place in maintenance with the expertise in both managing and running aviation facilities. They were hired with some pretty impressive credentials.
Does anyone think this is purely "coincidental?"
DWH hangar "coincidental?"
TA with language should a sale or change of ownership occur for the base "coincidental?"

I'll give you another hint...There's more than one reason the TWU recommended a yes vote for the TA and it wasn't just because they are a company union.......
They were told of the future for that base and by getting a TA in place would have prolonged the transition allowing current workers there an easier move to an MRO way of life.

How do you know all this?

 

[Hopeful]

How do you know all this?

The writing is on the wall....DWH hangar...big future there.....Look at the credentials of newly hired base VP and SR VP maintenance and engineering. Look at TA with language about "should there be a sale or spinoff of base assets.....etc, etc etc..)
It's not all coincidence. This management does not want and do things on a whim.

Changes r a comin!

 

[MCI transplant]

From the rumblings im hearing..it will continue to be part of AA. The Boeing end is the GOLDCARE service they will provide for the 787. But who knows in the future, if Boeing will offer a complete warranty and repair service based out of TULE for other aircraft as well. The facility is huge with room to grow and more space will be provided once more of AA's core work moves to DWH and AFW. The plans are substantial. this is why AA will get the costs down once it transforms into an MRO.
As for the TWU's role...Once they are onboard with this transformation, they will continue to represent that base. However, under a separate contract.
I foresee AA continuing to do in house work. the beneift will be a new cost structure for future employees.
[/quo <_<------- Hopeful, aren't you forgetting something? AMR already has an MRO in IND! And if things don't go well for AA, you could just be looking at a downsizing, or even closer of TUL. ( although unlikely!)----- As for Boeing's GOLDCARE service, talk of that was going around TWA years ago! Old rumor!

 

[Hopeful]

Old only because the GoldCare idea from Boeing started with the development of the 787. As the delivery date nears for the 787, so does the need for the GoldCare program start date.

 

[JimJimmyJim]

I don't think AMR has a MRO in IND. AAR has a MRO in IND. AA's intrest in MRO has been zero. Do they have the ability? Sure, they just don't have the desire. They want OH to compare themselves to MRO so they can get MRO pay rates. DWH has potential but to date AA has put no money in it. Neither dock that is in it can take a 757,767 with winglets. I don't see AA doing alot of MRO.

 

[Hopeful]

I don't think AMR has a MRO in IND. AAR has a MRO in IND. AA's intrest in MRO has been zero. Do they have the ability? Sure, they just don't have the desire. They want OH to compare themselves to MRO so they can get MRO pay rates. DWH has potential but to date AA has put no money in it. Neither dock that is in it can take a 757,767 with winglets. I don't see AA doing alot of MRO.

I do. Providing they get the costs they desire. And DWH can handle 737s easily. And what money needs to be invested right now in that facility? Currently it is not used for any heavy maintenance. When the time comes, so will the changes.

 

[Duke787]

The writing is on the wall....DWH hangar...big future there.....Look at the credentials of newly hired base VP and SR VP maintenance and engineering. Look at TA with language about "should there be a sale or spinoff of base assets.....etc, etc etc..)
It's not all coincidence. This management does not want and do things on a whim.

Changes r a comin!

I agree changes are coming, at ORD the new management style will be implemented in February. It actually sounds like AA is going back to the way maint was run in the 90s, from the way I understand it.


Boston consulting gave AA top quality advice :angry: ..............

I'm curious to know if any of AMR board members have any connection to Boston consulting? From my point of view that was a big waste of time and money. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I know of several AA mechs interviewing at SWA, so far two former AA maint mangers are at SWA, and as of right now one mech with 20 years at AA is going to SWA. Those are the numbers I know, might be more that I don't know about.

 

[Hopeful]

I agree changes are coming, at ORD the new management style will be implemented in February. It actually sounds like AA is going back to the way maint was run in the 90s, from the way I understand it.

Are you referring to the maintenance managers going back to the Level 4 and Level 5 structure rather than having EVERYBODY a mangager? I beleive that is already in place at DFW.

 

[JimJimmyJim]

If AA was serious about MRO why would they close MCIE? It's huge and they had a experienced workforce. DWH is not that big. Assuming they mod the docks, you could get 1 or 2 757's or 1 757 and 1 767 in the docks. I doubt you could get 3 737's side by side in the rest of it. You could get 2 in and have room to work. DWH is not the answer for MRO as far as overhaul, maybe some mod work. You are correct though time will tell.

 

[Duke787]

Are you referring to the maintenance managers going back to the Level 4 and Level 5 structure rather than having EVERYBODY a mangager? I beleive that is already in place at DFW.

That plus AA is hiring either 8 or 9 supv from the street for ORD. I find it disheartening that no one from the floor wants to do that job. We actually see becoming a supervisor as a demotion or a job you take rather then taking a layoff. It does not speak well of the culture of AA management where they have a vast resource of educated, experienced, technically proficient mechanics who do not want to advance in the company.

 

[eolesen]

That plus AA is hiring either 8 or 9 supv from the street for ORD. I find it disheartening that no one from the floor wants to do that job. We actually see becoming a supervisor as a demotion or a job you take rather then taking a layoff. It does not speak well of the culture of AA management where they have a vast resource of educated, experienced, technically proficient mechanics who do not want to advance in the company.

I don't think it's the management culture that prevents mechanics from moving up.

First of all, most people who have mastered a skill don't want to throw that away to push paper. If you can find a job where you get to use the skill, great. I did. But that's not what being a supervisor is.

There's also the loss of pay. Yes, loss. You guys have this idea that management pays well, and you get to decide when you show up to work. That could not be farther from the truth. And when they banded the L4/L5, they took away promotion opportunities, further impacting future pay for those who wanted to climb the ladder.

I thought that banding all the L4 supervisors and L5 managers was dumb when they did it. And M&E is the only workgroup who did that.

 

[Duke787]

I don't think it's the management culture that prevents mechanics from moving up.

First of all, most people who have mastered a skill don't want to throw that away to push paper. If you can find a job where you get to use the skill, great. I did. But that's not what being a supervisor is.

There's also the loss of pay. Yes, loss. You guys have this idea that management pays well, and you get to decide when you show up to work. That could not be farther from the truth. And when they banded the L4/L5, they took away promotion opportunities, further impacting future pay for those who wanted to climb the ladder.

I thought that banding all the L4 supervisors and L5 managers was dumb when they did it. And M&E is the only workgroup who did that.

I'm saying that a person in a supervisor position should know the job that they are managing and have the experience of working inside the AA system. In addition to that, they should be paid for that knowledge and experience. I'm sure that is why AA has C/C's, but everyone knows that position is based on seniority which doesn't always equal knowledge.

 

[Hopeful]

I don't think it's the management culture that prevents mechanics from moving up.

First of all, most people who have mastered a skill don't want to throw that away to push paper. If you can find a job where you get to use the skill, great. I did. But that's not what being a supervisor is.

There's also the loss of pay. Yes, loss. You guys have this idea that management pays well, and you get to decide when you show up to work. That could not be farther from the truth. And when they banded the L4/L5, they took away promotion opportunities, further impacting future pay for those who wanted to climb the ladder.

I thought that banding all the L4 supervisors and L5 managers was dumb when they did it. And M&E is the only workgroup who did that.

Never mind the L4/L5 banding hindered advancement opportunities. A bigger problem is that they all think they are the boss and depending who is on duty that shift. It's like "what's the flavor of the day" deal.
This structure is ridiculous.
And also, nevermind the pay is not what it should be. Who wants to give up control of their lives for a job that is a nowhere job. They wil tell you what shift to work, what your days off will be, come in on your days off for a staff meeting, come on your days off for a 29f hearing. Who needs it.
Sure, some may say that if they got promoted from mechanic, that they received more than their base bay as a mechanic. But what about the extra hours they HAVE to work? Factor all these things in, and their hourly rate would be way less than that of a mechanic.